Point-to-multipoint techniques more and more replace legacy point-to-point techniques in telecommunication, especially in the access area. In the direction versus the end users, the downstream direction, data for the different end users are time division multiplexed (TDM), whereas in the direction starting from the end users, the upstream direction, data from the different end users are combined in time division multiple access technique (TDMA technique). Data transfer originating from and destined for either of the end users thus is a discontinuous data transfer, irrespective of the fact that such data transfer is embedded in a continuous data flow on one and the same medium.
One way of increasing the capacity of such point-to-multipoint access network (also radio connections are considered to be such “network”) is to increase the bit rate. Starting in the range of 144 to 155 Mb/s in the 1990s, at the moment we are dealing with upcoming 10 Gb/s. For point-to-point applications even 100 Gb/s at the moment is under development.
A problem is that the energy consumption of the affected apparatus basically is rising with rising bit rate. For different reasons energy consumption should be kept low:                Equipment sometimes is located remotely and works battery-backed with solar energy.        During times of power outage a battery-backed operation might be foreseen.        Waste heat may be disturbing.        Environmental concerns like carbon footprint more and more play a role.        
This problem according to the invention is solved by a method for discontinuously transferring data in a point-to-multipoint access network according to the teaching of claim 1, by a central unit according to the teaching of claim 3, and by a subscriber-sided network termination unit according to the teaching of claim 4.